Due to shifting consumer habits, the phygital modality emerged from the need to create alternative business approaches.
What is phygital?
Phygital is the fusion of physical and digital realms. It represents a business approach that integrates online and offline processes and offers multiple channels for customer interaction, both virtually and physically, during the purchasing experience.
The new consumer
Consumer perceptions of shopping have evolved, particularly following the pandemic.
To grasp the advantages of phygital, it’s crucial to understand the characteristics and needs of this new type of consumer: the omnichannel or omnishopper customer.
This customer researches and consults various information sources across different devices and locations throughout their buying journey, integrating multiple channels before making decisions.
The percentage of consumers who blend their shopping experiences between online environments and physical stores increased from 29% in 2019 to 49% in 2021.
Omnishopper Behaviors
- Webrooming — online research before purchasing in a physical store.
- Click and collect — also makes online purchases for in-store or kiosk pickup.
- Scanning/scramming — scans the product in-store during research to find a better online offer.
- Showrooming — after seeing the product in-store, purchases it on the retailer’s website.
- Click and ship — buys the product online while in the physical store.
Solutions to enable phygital
CRM: Customer Relationship Management is a crucial tool for managing commercial and non-commercial customer relationships. It’s essential for managing and analyzing customer interactions and anticipating their needs and desires in physical and virtual environments.
BI (business intelligence): provides insight and direction for making informed decisions based on customer data and habits.
Content creation: a strategy that attracts customers interested in the brand’s product and establishes communication channels. Video content is particularly attention-grabbing: 99% of internet users watch videos, according to the Kantar Ibope Media Inside Video study.
Sources: Resultados Digitais, FutureCom, Nuvem Shop, Sindilojas and Zendesk.
